A REPORT OF THE TRUTH OF the fight about the Isles of Açores, this last Summer. BETWIXT THE Revenge, one of her majesties Ships, And an Armada of the King of Spain. LONDON Printed for william Ponsonbie. 1591. A report of the truth of the fight about the Isles of Açores, this last summer, betwixt the Revenge, one of her majesties Ships, and an Armada of the king of Spain. BEcause the rumours are diversly spread, as well in England as in the low countries and else where, of this late encounter between her majesties ships and the Armada of Spain; and that the Spaniards according to their usual manner, fill the world with their vain glorious vaunts, making great appearance of victories: when on the contrary, themselves are most commonly & shamefully beaten and dishonoured; thereby hoping to possess the ignorant multitude by anticipating and forerunning false reports: It is agreeable with all good reason, for manifestation of the truth to overcome falsehood and untruth; that the beginning, continuance and success of this late honourable encounter of Sir Richard Grinuile, and other her majesties Captains, with the Armada of Spain; should be truly set down & published without partiality or false imaginations. And it is no marvel that the Spaniard should seek by false & slanderous Pamphlets, advisoes and Letters, to cover their own loss, and to derogate from others their due honours, especially in this fight being performed far of: seeing they were not ashamed in the year 1588. when they purposed the invasion of this land, to publish in sundry languages in print, great victories in words, which they pleaded to have obtained against this Realm; and spread the same in a most false sort over all parts of France, Italy, and elsewhere. When shortly after it was happily manifested in very deed to all Nations, how their Navy which they termed invincible, consisting of 240. sail of ships, not only of their own kingdom, but strengthened with the greatest Argosies, Portugal Caractes, Florentines and huge Hulks of other countries: were by thirty of her Majesties own ships of war, and a few of our own Merchants, by the wise, valiant, and most advantageous conduction of the L. Charles Howard, high Admiral of England, beaten and shuffled together; even from the Lizard in Cornwall: first to Portland, where they shamefully left Don Pedro de Valdes, with his mighty ship: from Portland to Cales, where they lost Hugo de Moncado, with the Gallias of which he was Captain, and from Cales, driven with squibs from their anchors: were chased out of the sight of England, round about Scotland and Ireland. Where for the sympathy of their barbarous religion, hoping to find succour and assistance: a great part of them were crushed against the rocks, and those other that landed, being very many in number, were notwithstanding broken, slain, and taken, and so sent from village to village coupled in halters to be shipped into England. Where her Majesty of her Princely & invincible disposition, disdaining to put them to death, and scorning either to retain or entertain them: were all sent back again to their countries, to witness and recount the worthy achievements of their invincible and dreadful Navy. Of which the number of soldiers, the fearful burden of their ships, the commanders names of every squadron, with all other their magasines of provisions, were put in print, as an Army & Navy unresistible, and disdaining prevention. With all which so great and terrible an ostentation, they did not in all their sailing round about England, so much as sink or take one ship, Bark, pins, or Cockbote of ours: or ever burnt so much as one sheepcote of this land. When as on the contrary, Sir Francis Drake, with only 800. soldiers not long before, landed in their Indies, and forced Santiago, Santo Domingo, Cartagena, and the Forts of Florida. And after that, Sir john Norris marched from Peniche in Portugal, with a handful of soldiers, to the gates of Lisbon, being above 40. English miles. Where the Earl of Essex himself and other valiant Gentlemen, braved the Cittic of Lisbon, encamped at the very gates; from whence after many days abode, finding neither promised party, nor provision to batter; made retreat by land, in despite of all their Garrisons, both of Horse and foot. In this sort I have a little digressed from my first purpose, only by the necessary comparison of theirs and our actions: the one covetous of honour without vaunt or ostentation; the other so greedy to purchase the opinion of their own affairs, & by false rumours to resist the blasts of their own dishonours, as they will not only not blush to spread all manner of untruths: but even for the least advantage, be it but for the taking of one poor adventurer of the English, will celebrate the victory with bonfires in every town, always spending more in faggots, than the purchase was worth they obtained. When as we never yet thought it worth the consumption of two billets, when we have taken eight or ten of their Indian ships at one time, & twenty of the Brasill fleet. Such is the difference between true valour, and ostentation: and between honourable actions, and frivolous vainglorious vaunts. But now to return to my first purpose. The L. Thomas Howard, with six of her majesties ships, six victuallers of London, the bark Ralegh, and two or three Pinnaces riding at anchor near unto Flores, one of the westerly islands of the Azores, the last of August in the after noon, had intelligence by one Captain Midleton, of the approach of the Spanish Armada. Which Midleton being in a very good sailor, had kept them eompanie three days before, of good purpose, both to discover their forces the more, as also to give advice to my L. Thomas of their approach. He had no sooner delivered the news but the Fleet was in sight: many of our ships companies were on shore in the Island; some providing ballast for their ships; others filling of water and refreshing themselves from the land with such things as they could either for money, or by force recover. By reason whereof our ships being all pestered and rummaging every thing out of order, very light for want of ballast. And that which was most to our disadvantage, the one half part of the men of every ship sick, and utterly unserviceable. For in the Revenge there were ninety diseased: in the Bonaventure, not so many in health as could handle her main sail. For had not twenty men been taken out of a Bark of Sir George Caries, his being commanded to be sunk, and those appointed to her, she had hardly ever recovered England. The rest for the most part, were in little better state. The names of her majesties ships were these as followeth the Defiance, which was Admiral, the Revenge Vice-admiral, the Bonaventure commanded by Captain Cross, the Lion by George Fenner, the Foresight by M. Thomas Vauisour, and the Crane by Duffeild. The Foresight & the Crane being but small ships; only the other were of the middle size; the rest, besides the Bark Ralegh, commanded by Captain Thin, were victuallers, & of small force or none. The Spanish fleet having shrouded their approach by reason of the Island; were now so soon at hand, as our ships had scarce time to way their anchors, but some of them were driven to let slip their Cables and set sail. Sir Richard Grinuile was the last weighed, to recover the men that were upon the Island, which otherwise had been lost. The L. Thomas with the rest very hardly recovered the wind, which Sir Richard Grinuile not being able to do, was persuaded by the master and others to cut his main sail, and cast about, and to trust to the sailing of the ship: for the squadron of Siuil were on his wether bow. But Sir Richard utterly refused to turn from the enemy, alleging that he would rather choose to die, then to dishonour himself, his country, and her majesty's ship, persuading his company that he would pass through the two Squadrons, in despite of them: and enforce those of Seville to give him way. Which he performed upon diverse of the foremost, who as the Mariners term it, sprang their luffe, and fell under the lee of the Revenge. But the other course had been the better, and might right well have been answered in so great an impossibility of prevailing. Notwithstanding out of the greatness of his mind, he could not be persuaded. In the mean while as he attended those which were nearest him, the great San Philip being in the wind of him &, coming towards him, becalmed his sails in such sort, as the ship could neither make way nor feel the helm: so huge and high carged was the Spanish ship, being of a thousand & five hundrcth tuns. Who afterlaid the Revenge aboard. When he was thus bereft of his sails, the ships that were under his lee luffing up, also laid him aboard: of which the next was the Admiral of the Biscayne's, a very mighty and puissant ship commanded by Briton Dona. The said Philip carried three tire of ordinance on a side, and eleven pieces in every tire. She shot eight forth right out of her chase, besides those of her Stern ports. After the Revenge was entangled with this Philip, four other boarded her; two on her larboard, and two on her starboard. The fight thus beginning at three of the clock in the after noon, continued very terrible all that evening. But the great San Philip having received the lower tire of the Revenge, charged with crossebarshot, shifted herself with all diligence from her sides, utterly misliking her first entertainment. Some say that the ship foundered, but we cannot report it for truth, unless we were assured. The Spanish ships were filled with companies of soldiers, in some two hundred besides the Mariners; in some five, in others eight hundredth. In ours there were none at all, beside the Mariners, but the servants of the commanders and some few voluntary Gentlemen only. After many interchanged voleys of great ordinance and small shot, the Spaniards deliberated to enter the Revenge, and made divers attempts, hoping to force her by the multitudes of their armed soldiers and Musketeers, but were still repulsed again and again, and at all times beaten back, into their own ships, or into the seas. In the beginning of the fight, the George Noble of London, having received some shot thorough her by the Armadas, fell under the Lee of the Revenge, and asked Sir Richard what he would command him, being but one of the victulers and of small force: Sir Richard bid him save save himself, & leave him to his fortune. After the fight had thus without intermission, continued while the day lasted & some hours of the night, many of our men were slain and hurt, and one of the great Galleons of the Armada, and the Admiral of the Hulks both sunk, and in many other of the Spanish ships great slaughter was made. Some writ that sir Richard was very dangerously hurt almost in the beginning of the fight, and lay speechless for a time ere he recovered. But two of the Revenges own company, brought home in a ship of Lime from the Islands, examined by some of the Lords, and others: affirmed that he was never so wounded as that he forsook the upper deck, till an hour before midnight; and then being shot into the body with a Musket as he was a dressing, was again shot into the head, & withal his Chirurgeon wounded to death. This agreeth also with an examination taken by Sir Frances Godolphin, of 4. other Mariners of the same ship being returned, which examination, the said Sir Frances sent unto master William Killigrue, of her majesties privy Chamber. But to return to the fight, the Spanish ships which attempted to board the Revenge, as they were wounded & beaten of, so always others came in their places, she having never less than two mighty Galleons by her sides, and aboard her. So that ere the morning, from three of the clock the day before, there had fifteen several Armadas assailed her; and all so ill approved their entertainment, as they were by the break of day, far more willing to hearken to a composition, then hastily to make any more assaults or entries. But as the day increased, so our men decreased: and as the light grew more and more, by so much more grew our discomforts. For none appeared in sight but enemies, saving one small ship called the Pilgrim, commanded by jacob Whiddon, who hovered all night to see the success: but in the morning bearing with the Revenge, was hunted like a hare amongst many ravenous hounds, but escaped. All the powder of the Revenge to the last barrel was now spent, all her pikes broken, forty of her best men slain, and the most part of the rest hurt. In the beginning of the fight she had but one hundredth free from sickness, and fourscore and ten sick, laid in hold upon the Ballast. A small troop to man such a ship, and a weak Garrison to resist so mighty an Army. By those hundred all was sustained, the voleiss, bourdings, and enterings of fifteen ships of war, besides those which beat her at large. On the contrary, the Spanish were always supplied with soldiers brought from every squadron: all manner of Arms and powder at will. Unto ours there remained no comfort at all, no hope, no supply either of ships, men, or weapons; the masts all beaten over board, all her tackle cut a sunder, her upper work altogether razed, and in effect evened she was with the water, but the very foundation or bottom of a ship, nothing being left over head either for flight or defence. Sir Richard finding himself in this distress, & unable any longer to make resistance, having endured in this fifteen hours fight, the assault of fifteen several Armadas, all by tornnes aboard him, and by estimation eight hundred shot of great artillery, besides many assaults and entries. And that himself and the ship must needs be possessed by the enemy, who were now all cast in a ring round about him; The Revenge not able to move one way or other, but as she was moved with the waves and billow of the sea: commanded the master Gunner, whom he knew to be a most resolute man, to split and sink the ship; that thereby nothing might remain of glory or victory to the Spaniards: seeing in so many hours fight, and with so great a Navy they were not able to take her, having had fifteen hours time, fifteen thousand men, and fifty & three sail of men of war to perform it withal. And persuaded the company, or as many as he could induce, to yield themselves unto God, and to the mercy of noneels; but as they had like valiant resolute men, repulsed so many enemies, they should not now shorten the honour of their nation, by prolonging their own lives for a few hours, or a few days. The master Gunner readilic condescended and divers others; but the Captain and the Master were of an other opinion, and besought Sir Richard to have care of them: alleging that the Spaniard would be as ready to entertain a composition, as they were willing to offer the same: and that there being diverle sufficient and valiantmen yet living, and whose wounds were not mortal, they might do their country and prince acceptable service hereafter. And (that where Sir Richard had alleged that the Spadiards should never glory to have taken one ship of her Majesties, seeing they had so long and so notably defended themselves) they answered, that the ship had six foot water in hold, three shot under water which were so weakly stopped, as with the first working of the sea, she must needs sink, and was beside so crushed & bruised, as she could never be removed out of the place. And as the matter was thus in dispute, and Sir Richard refusing to hearken to any of those reasons; the master of the Revenge (while the Captain won unto him the greater party) was convoyde aboard the General Don Alfonso Bassan. Who finding none over hasty to enter the Revenge again, doubting least S. Richard would have blown them up and himself, and perceiving by the report of the master of the Revenge his dangerous disposition: yielded that all their lives should be saved, the company sent for England, and the better sort to pay such reasonable ransom as their estate would bear, and in the mean season to be free from Galley or imprisonment. To this he so much the rather condescended as well as I have said, for fear of further loss and mischief to themselves, as also for the desire he had to recover Sir Richard Grinuile; whom for his notable valour he seemed greatly to honour and admire. When this answer was returned, and that safety of life was promised, the common sort being now at the end of their peril, the most drew back from Sir Richard and the master Gunner, being no hard matter to dissuade men from death to life. The master Gunner finding himself and Sir Richard thus prevented and mastered by the greater number, would have slain himself with a sword, had he not been by force withheld and locked into his Cabin. Then the General sent many boats aboard the Revenge, and diverse of our men fearing Sir Richard's disposition, stole away aboard the General and other ships. Sir Richard thus overmatched, was sent unto by Alfonso Bassan to remove out of the Revenge, the ship being marvelous unsavoury, filled with blood & bodies of dead, & wounded men like a slaughter house. Sir Richard answered that he might do with his body what he list, for he esteemed it not, and as he was carried out of the ship he swooned, and reviving again desired the company to pray for him. The General used Sir Richard with all humanity, and left nothing unattempted that tended to his recovery, highly commending his valour and worthiness, and greatly bewailed the danger wherein he was, being unto them a rare spectacle, and a resolution seldom approved, to see one ship turn toward so many enemies, to endure the charge & boarding of so many huge Armadas, and to resist and repel the assaults and entries of so many soldiers. All which & more, is confirmed by a Spanish Captain of the same Armada, and a present actor in the fight, who being severed from the rest in a storm, was by the Lion of London a small ship taken, & is now prisoner in Lonndon. The general commander of the Armada, was Don Alphonso Bassan, brother to the marquess of Santa Cruse. The Admiral of the Biscaine squadron, was Britan Dona. Of the squadron of Seville, Marquis of Arumburch. The Hulks and Flybotes were commanded by Luis Cutino. There were slain and drowned in this fight, well near two thousand of the enemies, and two especial commanders Don Luis de saint john, and Don George de Prunaria de Mallaga, as the Spanish Captain confesseth, besides divers others of special account, whereof as yet report is not made. The Admiral of the Hulks & the Ascension of Seville, were both sunk by the side of the Revenge; one other recovered the road of Saint Michel's, and sunk also there; a fourth ran herself with the shore to save her men. Sir Richard died as it is said, the second or third day aboard the General, and was by them greatly bewailed. What became of his body, whether it were buried in the sea or on the land we know not: the comfort that remaineth to his friends is, that he hath ended his life honourably in respect of the reputation won to his nation and country, and of the same to his posterity, and that being dead, he hath not outlived his own honour. For the rest of her majesties ships that entered not so far into the fight as the Revenge, the reasons and causes were these. There were of them but six in all, whereof two but small ships; the Revenge engaged past recovery: The Island of Flores was on the one side, 53. sail of the Spanish, divided into squadrons on the other, all as full filled with soldiers as they could contain. Almost the one half of our men sick and not able to serve: the ships grown foul, unroomaged, and scarcely able to bear any sail for want of ballast, having been six months at the sea before. If all the rest had entered, all had been lost. For the very hugeness of the Spanish fleet, if no other violence had been offered, would have crushed them between them into shivers. Of which the dishonour and loss to the Queen had been far greater than the spoil or harm that the enemy could any way have received. Notwithstanding it is very true, that the Lord Thomas would have entered between the squadrons, but the rest would not condescend; and the master of his own ship offered to leap into the sea, rather than to conduct that her majesties ship and the rest to be a pray to the enemy, where there was no hope nor possibility either of defence or victory. Which also in my opinion had il sorted or answered the discretion & trust of a General, to commit himself and his charge to an assured destruction, without hope or any likelihood of prevailing: thereby to diminish the strength of her majesties Navy, & to enrich the pride & glory of the enemy. The Foresight of the Queens commanded by M. Th. Vauisor, performed a very great fight, & stayed two hours as near the Revenge as the wether would permit him, not forsaking the fight, till he was like to be encompassed by the squadrons, & with great difficulty cleared himself. The rest gave divers voleys of shot, & entered as far as the place permitted & their own necessities, to keep the weather gage of the enemy, until they were parted by night. A few days after the fight was ended, & the English prisoners dispersed into the Spanish & India ships, there arose so great a storm from the West and Northwest, that all the fleet was dispersed, as well the Indian fleet which were then come unto them, as the rest of the Armada that attended their arrival, of which 14. sail together with the Revenge, & in her 200. Spaniards, were cast away upon the Isle of S. Michael's. So it pleased them to honour the burial of that renowned ship the Revenge, not suffering her to perish alone, for the great honour she achieved in her life time. On the rest of the Islands there were cast away in this storm, 15. or 16. more of the ships of war; and of a hundred and odd sail of the Indie fleet, expected this year in Spain, what in this tempest, & what before in the bay of Mexico, & about the Bermudas there were 70. & odd consumed & lost, with those taken by our ships of London, besides one very rich Indian ship, which set herself on fire, being boarded by the Pilgrim, & five other taken by Master Wats his ships of London, between the Havana and Cape S. Antonio. The 4. of this month of November, we received letters from the Tercera, affirming that there are 3000. bodies of men remaining in that Island, saved out of the perished ships: and that by the Spaniards own Confession, there are 10000 cast away in this storm, besides those that are perished between the islands and the main. Thus it hath pleased God to fight for us, & to defend the justice of our cause, against the ambitious & bloody pretences of the Spaniard, who seeking to devourall nations, are themselves devoured. A manifest testimony how injust & displeasing, their attempts are in the sight of God, who hath pleased to witness by the success of their affairs, his mislike of their bloody and injurious designs, purposed & practised against all Christian Princes, over whom they seek unlawful and ungodly rule and Empery. One day or two before this wrack happened to the spanish fleet, when as some of our prisoners desired to be set on shore upon the islands, hoping to be from thence transported into England, which liberty was formerly by the General promised: One Morris Fitz john, son of old john of Desmond a notable traitor, cousin german to the late Earl of Desmond, was sent to the English from ship to ship, to persuade them to serve the King of Spain. The arguments he used to induce them, were these. The increase of pay which he promised to be trebled: advancement to the better sort: and the exercise of the true Catholic religion, and safety of their souls to all. For the first, even the beggarly & unnatural behaviour of those English and Irish rebels, that served the King in that presentaction, was sufficient to answer that first argument of rich pay. For so poor and beggarly they were, as for want of apparel they stripped their poor country men prisoners out of their ragged garments, worn to nothing by six months' service, and spared not to despoil them even of their bloody shirts, from their wounded bodies, & the very shoes from their feet; A notable testimony of their rich entertainment and great wages. The second reason was hope of advancement if they served well, and would continue faithful to the King. But what man can be so blockishly ignorant ever to expect place or honour from a foreign king, having no other argument or persuasion than his own disloyalty; to be unnatural to his own country that bred him; to his parents that begat him, and rebellious to his true prince, to whose obedience he is bound by oath, by nature, and by religion. No, they are only assured to be employed in all desperate enterprises, to be held in scorn and disdain ever among those whom they serve. And that ever traitor was either trusted or advanced I could never yet read, neither can I at this time remember any example. And no man could have less becomed the place of an Orator for such a purpose, than this Morris of Desmond. For the Earl his cozen being one of the greatest subjects in that kingdom of Ireland, having almost whole countries in his possession; so many goodly manners, Castles, and Lordships; the Count Palatine of Kerry, five hundred gentlemen of his own name and family to follow him, besides others. All which he possessed in peace for three or four hundred years: was in less than three years after his adhering to the Spaniards and rebellion, beaten from all his holds, not so many as ten gentlemen of his name left living, himself taken and beheaded by a soldier of his own nation, and his land given by a Parliament to her Maestie, and possessed by the English. His other cozen Sir john of Desmond taken by M. john Zouch, & his body hanged over the gates of his native city to be devoured by Ravens: the third brother Sir james hanged, drawn, and quartered in the same place. If he had withal vaunted of this success of his own house, no doubt the argument would have moved much, and wrought great effect; which because he for that present forgot, I thought it good to remember in his behalf. For matter of religion it would require a particular volume, if I should set down how irreligiously they cover their greedy and ambitious pretences, with that veil of piety. But sure I am, that there is no kingdom or common wealth in all Europe, but if they be reform, they then invade it for religion sake: if it be, as they term Catholic, they pretend title; as if the Kings of Castille were the natural heirs of all the world: and so between both, no kingdom is unsought. where they dare not with their own forces to invade, they basely entertain the traitors and vagabonds of all nations; seeking by those & by their runagate jesuits to win parts, and have by that mean ruined many Noble houses and others in this land, and have extinguished both their lives and families. What good, honour, or fortune ever man yet by them achieved, is yet unheard of, or unwritten. And if our English Papists do but look into Portugal, against whom they have no pretence of religion, how the Nobility are put death, imprisoned, their rich men made a prey, and all sorts of people captived; they shall find that the obedience even of the Turk is easy and a liberty, in respect of the slavery & tyranny of Spain. What they have done in Sicill, in Naples, milan, and in the low countries; who hath there been spared for religion at all? And it cometh to my remembrance of a certain Burger of Antwerp, whose house being entered by a company of Spanish soldiers, when they first sacked the City, he besought them to spare him and his goods, being a good Catholic, and one of their own party and faction. The Spaniards answered, that they knew him to be of a good conscience for himself, but his money, plate, jewels, and goods, were all heretical, and therefore good prize. So they abused and tormented the foolish Fleming, who hoped that an Agnus Dei had been a sufficient Target against all force of that holy and charitable nation. Neither have they at any time as they protest invaded the kingdoms of the Indies and Peru, and else where, but only led thereunto, rather to reduce the people to Christianity, then for either gold or empery. When as in one only Island called Hispaniola, they have wasted thirty hundred thousand of the natural people, besides many millions else in other places of the Indies: a poor and harmless people created of God, and might have been won to his knowledge, as many of them were, and almost as many as ever were persuaded thereunto. The Story whereof is at large written by a Bishop of their own nation call Bartholome de las Casa, and translated into English and many other languages, entitled The Spanish cruelties. Who would therefore repose trust in such a nation of ravenous strangers, and especially in those Spaniards which more greedily thirst after English blood, then after the lives of any other people of Europe; for the many overthrows and dishonours they have received at our hands, whose weakness we have discovered to the world, and whose forces at home, abroad, in Europe, in India, by sea and land; we have even with handfuls of men and ships, overthrown and dishonoured. Let not therefore any English man of what religion soever, have other opinion of the Spaniards, but that those whom he seeketh to win of our nation, he esteemeth base and traitorous, unworthy persons, or unconstant fools: and that he useth his pretence of religion, for no other purpose, but to bewitch us from the obedience of our natural prince; thereby hoping in time to bring us to slavery and subjection, and then none shall be unto them so odious, and disdained as the traitors themselves, who have sold their country to a stranger, and forsaken their faith and obedience contrary to nature or religion; and contrary to that human and general honour, not only of Christians, but of heathen and irreligious nations, who have always sustained what labour soever, and embraced even death itself, for their country, prince or commonwealth. To conclude, it hath ever to this day pleased God, to prosper and defend her Majesty, to break the purposes of malicious enemies, of forsworn traitors, and of injust practices and invasions. She hath ever been honoured of the worthiest Kings, seruedby faithful subjects, and shall by the favour of God, resist, repel, and confound all whatsoever attempts against her sacred Person or kingdom. In the meantime, let the Spaniard and traitor vaunt of their success; and we her true and obedient vassals guided by the shining light of her virtues, shall always love her, serve her, and obey her to the end of our lives. FINIS. A particular note of the Indian fleet, expected to have come into Spain this present year of 1591. with the number of ships that are perished of the same: according to the examination of certain Spaniards, lately taken and brought into England by the ships of London. THe fleet of Nova Hispania, at their first gathering together and setting forth, were 52. sails. The Admiral was of 600. tuns, and the Vice Admiral of the same burden. Four or five of the ships were of 900. and 1000 tons a piece, some 500 and 400. and the least of 200. tons. Of this fleet 19 were cast away, and in them 2600. men by estimation, which was done along the coast of Nova Hispania, so that of the same fleet, there came to the Havana, but three and thirty sails. The fleet of Terra Firma, were at their first departure from Spain, 50. sails, which were bound for Nombre de Dios, where they did discharge their lading, & thence returned to Cartagena, for their health's sake, until the time the treasure was ready they should take in, at the said Nombre de Dios. But before this fleet departed, some were gone by one or two at a time, so that only 23. sails of this fleet arrived in the Havana. At the Havana there met 33. sails of Nova Hispania. 23. sails of Terra Firma. 12. sails of San Domingo. 9 sails of Hunduras. In the whole 77. ships, which joined and set sails together, at the Havana, the 17. of july, according to our account, & kept together until they came into the height of 35. degrees, which was about the tenth of August, where they found the wind at south-west, changed suddenly to the North, so that the sea coming out of the south-west, and the wind very violent at North, they were put all into great extremity, and then first lost the General of their fleet, with 500 men in her; and within three or four days after an other storm rising, there were five or six other of the biggest ships cast away with all their men, together with their vice Admiral. And in the height of 48. degrees about the end of August, grew an other great storm, in which all the fleet saving 48. sails were cast away: which 48. sails kept together, until they came in sight of the islands of Coruo & Flores, about the 5. or 6. of September, at which time a great storm separated them; of which number 15. or 16. were after seen by these Spaniards to ride at anchor under the Terçera; and twelve or fourteen more to bear with the Island of S. Michael's; what became of them after that these Spaniards were taken, cannot yet be certified; their opinion is, that very few of the fleet are escaped, but are either drowned or taken. And it is otherways of late certified, that of this whole fleet that should have come into Spain this year, being 123. sail, there are as yet arrived but 25. This note was taken out of the examination of certain Spaniards, that were brought into England by six of the ships of London, which took seven of the above named Indian fleet, near the islands of Açores. FINIS. LONDON Printed for William Ponsonbie. 1591.